The Musical

The Musical is a 2026 U.S. dark comedy directed by Giselle Bonilla in her feature debut, from a screenplay by Alexander Heller. Will Brill plays Doug Leibowitz, a frustrated playwright teaching middle-school theater while wishing for a larger career. After he learns his ex-girlfriend Abigail, played by Gillian Jacobs, is dating Principal Brady, played by Rob Lowe, Doug plots to embarrass Brady at school. He produces an inappropriate student musical in hopes of destroying the principal’s chance at the Blue Ribbon of Academic Excellence. The title refers to that school production; the film itself is a comedy about spite, ambition and the consequences of dragging students into an adult feud. Nevada Jose and Michael Strassner also appear. Sundance lists Tu Do as director of photography and Mateo Nossa as composer, with an 84-minute running time. The film premiered in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival. Blue Harbor Entertainment announced a September 18, 2026 U.S. theatrical release. Theater availability may be limited by location. A streaming release date has not been announced in the distributor’s trailer materials. Doug’s elaborate revenge plan is the premise, not an endorsement of using students to settle personal scores.